Free and easy-to-use, CalHospitalCare.org offers unbiased information and ratings on the quality of California hospitals and medical centers, along with tips and checklists about how to choose a health care provider, questions to ask, how to pay for care, and what to do if something goes wrong.

Why be concerned about quality? Even common tasks can go wrong in the hospital. When you pay attention to quality, you can better protect yourself. What is quality? Quality care is not always more expensive care, the newest technology, or many tests and treatments. Quality care is safe, effective, patient centered, timely, efficient, and equitable. How does quality affect you? Hear about four patients’ experiences where better care would have made a difference. Get the quality you deserve. Take steps to make sure you choose the best hospital for you.

When choosing a hospital or medical center, be sure to understand your particular treatment and the roles that hospital staff play in your care; check your insurance coverage and out of pocket costs; and consider the hospital’s location and other features and services.

Patient Experience

The “Summary Star Rating” combines information about different aspects of patient experience to make it easier for consumers to compare hospitals. The Summary Star Rating is the average of 11 HCAHPS measures: Nurse communication, doctor communication, responsiveness of hospital staff, pain management, communication about medicines, discharge information, care transition, cleanliness, quietness, overall hospital rating, and whether or not the patient would recommend the hospital.

This section shows how the hospital was scored by patients for nine of the eleven HCAHPS measures used for the Summary Star Rating.

Would recommend hospital: Patients were asked whether they would recommend this hospital to friends and family. The higher the percentage shown, the more likely that they would recommend it.

Received information and education: Patients need information about their care to make informed decisions. This measure shows how well providers answered questions about a patient’s condition, the drugs given, or what to expect after leaving the hospital.

Nurses communicated well: This measure shows the percentage of patients who responded that their nurses “always” communicated well.

Doctors communicated well: This measure shows the percentage of patients who responded that their doctors “always” communicated well.

Help received: This measure shows the percentage of patients who responded that they “always” received help as soon as they wanted.

Staff explained medicine: This measure shows the percentage of patients who responded that staff “always” explained about their medicines before giving it to them.

This measure shows the percentage of patients who responded that they understood their care when they left the hospital.

Patient room and bathroom was clean: This measure shows the percentage of patients who responded that their room and bathroom were “always” clean.

Quiet at night: This measure shows the percentage of patients who responded that the area around their room was “always” quiet at night.

Hospitalwide Readmission Rate

Re-Hospitalizations

This readmission rate is the percentage of patients who returned to the hospital within 30 days for any reason. Lower rates suggest better quality of care. A readmission or re-hospitalization may result from incomplete treatment or poor care by the hospital team of the underlying problem, or may reflect poor coordination of care by the hospital team at the time of discharge and afterward. Readmission rates can vary for many reasons and may not always indicate a hospital’s level of quality. Note that this readmission rate is based on data reported by CMS Hospital Compare and, while measured the same way for all hospitals, may be measured differently than readmission rates for other conditions. Importantly, the data are based on the Medicare fee-for-service population, which has higher readmission rates than the general population.

Free and easy-to-use, CalHospitalCare.org offers unbiased information and ratings on the quality of California hospitals and medical centers, along with tips and checklists about how to choose a health care provider, questions to ask, how to pay for care, and what to do if something goes wrong.

Why be concerned about quality? Even common tasks can go wrong in the hospital. When you pay attention to quality, you can better protect yourself. What is quality? Quality care is not always more expensive care, the newest technology, or many tests and treatments. Quality care is safe, effective, patient centered, timely, efficient, and equitable. How does quality affect you? Hear about four patients’ experiences where better care would have made a difference. Get the quality you deserve. Take steps to make sure you choose the best hospital for you.

When choosing a hospital or medical center, be sure to understand your particular treatment and the roles that hospital staff play in your care; check your insurance coverage and out of pocket costs; and consider the hospital’s location and other features and services.

Patient Experience

The “Summary Star Rating” combines information about different aspects of patient experience to make it easier for consumers to compare hospitals. The Summary Star Rating is the average of 11 HCAHPS measures: Nurse communication, doctor communication, responsiveness of hospital staff, pain management, communication about medicines, discharge information, care transition, cleanliness, quietness, overall hospital rating, and whether or not the patient would recommend the hospital.

This section shows how the hospital was scored by patients for nine of the eleven HCAHPS measures used for the Summary Star Rating.

Would recommend hospital: Patients were asked whether they would recommend this hospital to friends and family. The higher the percentage shown, the more likely that they would recommend it.

Received information and education: Patients need information about their care to make informed decisions. This measure shows how well providers answered questions about a patient’s condition, the drugs given, or what to expect after leaving the hospital.

Nurses communicated well: This measure shows the percentage of patients who responded that their nurses “always” communicated well.

Doctors communicated well: This measure shows the percentage of patients who responded that their doctors “always” communicated well.

Help received: This measure shows the percentage of patients who responded that they “always” received help as soon as they wanted.

Staff explained medicine: This measure shows the percentage of patients who responded that staff “always” explained about their medicines before giving it to them.

Patient room and bathroom was clean: This measure shows the percentage of patients who responded that their room and bathroom were “always” clean.

Quiet at night: This measure shows the percentage of patients who responded that the area around their room was “always” quiet at night.

This measure reflects patients who reported they understood their care when they left the hospital.

Free and easy-to-use, CalHospitalCare.org offers unbiased information and ratings on the quality of California hospitals and medical centers, along with tips and checklists about how to choose a health care provider, questions to ask, how to pay for care, and what to do if something goes wrong.

Why be concerned about quality? Even common tasks can go wrong in the hospital. When you pay attention to quality, you can better protect yourself. What is quality? Quality care is not always more expensive care, the newest technology, or many tests and treatments. Quality care is safe, effective, patient centered, timely, efficient, and equitable. How does quality affect you? Hear about four patients’ experiences where better care would have made a difference. Get the quality you deserve. Take steps to make sure you choose the best hospital for you.

When choosing a hospital or medical center, be sure to understand your particular treatment and the roles that hospital staff play in your care; check your insurance coverage and out of pocket costs; and consider the hospital’s location and other features and services.

Deliveries by Certified Nurse Midwives

Mother and Baby

This measure reflects the percentage of C-sections among mothers whose pregnancies were nulliparous, term, singleton and vertex (NTSV) — which means the delivery of a single baby [versus twins or triplets] in a head-down position after 37 weeks gestational age to women having their first baby. Unless there is a specific medical complication, C-sections should be avoided in this relatively low-risk population.

For the baby, cesareans are associated with a higher risk of respiratory issues that require admission to an intensive care unit. For mothers, cesareans carry an increased risk of complications such as post-surgical infection and hemorrhage. Compared to vaginal birth, cesareans are also associated with longer recovery times and can impede the mother-infant breastfeeding relationship. Importantly, women with prior cesarean births also have significantly higher risks of complications in their subsequent pregnancies.

Hospitals with an NTSV Cesarean Birth rate higher than 23.9% are performing Cesareans above the target goal set by Healthy People 2020. A woman who prefers a vaginal birth for her first baby should look for a hospital with a low NTSV C-section rate and discuss her delivery options with her maternity care provider.

The NTSV Cesarean Birth rate compares how often each hospital performs cesareans on its patients with relatively “low risk” pregnancies. However, this measure does not adjust for every single medical complication that may lead a physician to recommend a cesarean. As such, hospitals that routinely treat very high-risk patients may have higher cesarean birth rates.

Breastfeeding Rate (Data Source: CDPH 01/01/2017 -- 12/31/2017)

This measure shows the percentage of newborns that were breastfed during their hospital stay. Research indicates that exclusive breastfeeding is beneficial and is generally recommended for women and their babies–as long as they do not have specific complications. Although there are many reasons breastfeeding rates vary, hospital staff can help new mothers begin to breastfeed before they leave the hospital.

An episiotomy is a surgical cut in the vaginal opening to make more space for the birth of a baby. It was once a routine procedure; however, many recent studies show that this cut does not make the birth easier and actually may lead to more short- and long-term harm in women. Providers and hospitals generally aim to do fewer episiotomies.

This measure reflects the number of episiotomies performed on women delivering vaginally at the hospital (but excludes cases of shoulder dystocia—when the baby’s shoulder position can impede delivery). In general, a lower rate is better.

Some women that had a cesarean in a prior delivery are interested in having the option to attempt a vaginal birth in their current pregnancy. This measure indicates whether a hospital has a policy of allowing “Vaginal Birth after Cesarean” (VBAC). Hospitals showing “yes” do offer VBAC services for eligible women who previously had C-sections.

This information was collected from a survey of hospitals conducted by the Hospital Quality Institute in 2016 and updated in 2019 by the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative based on hospital feedback. However, policies can change, so please contact the hospital directly to learn their current policy on VBACs.

Also note that a hospital may have a VBAC Rate (see below) that is greater than 0, but the hospital does not formally offer a VBAC program. This can result when women intending to have a repeat cesarean instead go into labor and end up delivering vaginally prior to the intended cesarean. A hospital may also have a VBAC rate greater than 0 if it changed its VBAC policy after the data presented here were collected.

A Vaginal Birth after Cesarean section (“VBAC”) is when a woman who has had a prior C-section delivers vaginally in a subsequent pregnancy (that is, without needing a repeat C-section). There are situations where women who have had a prior C-section may be eligible to deliver future babies vaginally—which has fewer post-delivery complications.

This measure represents the percentage of vaginal births among all women with a prior C-section for each hospital. Note that this measure is based on all women delivering at the hospital who had a prior cesarean, and not just those actively seeking a VBAC or those deemed as good candidates for a VBAC.

There may be some hospitals with a VBAC rate greater than 0%, but are shown with “VBAC Routinely Available=No”. This can result when women intending to have a repeat cesarean instead go into labor and deliver vaginally prior to the intended cesarean. This also occurs if a hospital changes its VBAC policy after the data presented here were collected.

This statistic represents the percent of births at each hospital that were attended by Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs). CNMs—often called “nurse-midwives”—are advanced practice nurses who are masters or doctorally educated and are licensed by the state to manage uncomplicated pregnancy and childbirth. The statistic is based on the provider type (e.g. physician, CNM, nurse) listed as the “Attending Provider” on all California Birth Certificates.

Some women have a personal preference to be attended by a CNM. Reporting each hospital’s CNM Delivery Rate can help women identify which hospitals have integrated CNMs into their maternity care unit. If you are interested in having your labor and birth attended by a nurse-midwife, contact the maternity unit at your preferred hospital(s) to identify the provider groups with CNMs.

Reporting Period

Data represents Calendar Year 2018 performance for 212 of the hospitals listed in this section. These hospitals submitted data to the CMQCC Maternal Data Center to enable rapid-cycle reporting and quality improvement. 25 of the hospitals listed in this section did not submit data to the CMQCC Maternal Data Center; their results represent 2017 data available from the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD). The hospitals that did not report 2018 performance data to CMQCC are listed here.

Free and easy-to-use, CalHospitalCare.org offers unbiased information and ratings on the quality of California hospitals and medical centers, along with tips and checklists about how to choose a health care provider, questions to ask, how to pay for care, and what to do if something goes wrong.

Why be concerned about quality? Even common tasks can go wrong in the hospital. When you pay attention to quality, you can better protect yourself. What is quality? Quality care is not always more expensive care, the newest technology, or many tests and treatments. Quality care is safe, effective, patient centered, timely, efficient, and equitable. How does quality affect you? Hear about four patients’ experiences where better care would have made a difference. Get the quality you deserve. Take steps to make sure you choose the best hospital for you.

When choosing a hospital or medical center, be sure to understand your particular treatment and the roles that hospital staff play in your care; check your insurance coverage and out of pocket costs; and consider the hospital’s location and other features and services.

Hip Fracture Death Rate

Hip or Knee Surgery Readmission Rate

Hip or Knee Surgery Complication Rate

(lower is better)

2.7%

(lower is better)

2.8%

(lower is better)

Hip & Knee

Hip Fracture Death Rate (Data Source: OSHPD 01/01/2015 -- 12/31/2015)

A hip fracture is a break in the upper part of the thighbone, which fits into the socket of the hip joint. Hip fracture is a common cause for hospitalization among the elderly. This measure shows the percentage of patients admitted for hip fracture who died in the hospital. Lower rates suggest better quality of care. Note that this death rate is based on data reported by the California OSHPD Patient Discharge Database (non-public) and, while measured the same way for all hospitals, may be measured differently than death rates for other conditions.

This readmission rate is the percentage of patients who returned to the hospital within 30 days after hip or knee surgery. Lower rates suggest better quality of care. A readmission may result from incomplete treatment or poor care by the hospital team of the underlying problem, or may reflect poor coordination of care by the hospital team at the time of discharge and afterward. Readmission rates can vary for many reasons and may not always indicate a hospital’s level of quality. Note that this readmission rate is based on data reported by CMS Hospital Compare and, while measured the same way for all hospitals, may be measured differently than readmission rates for other conditions. Importantly, the data are based on the Medicare fee-for-service population, which has higher readmission rates than the general population.

This complication rate is the percent of patients who electively had a primary total hip/knee replacement and developed at least one of eight complications: heart attack, pneumonia, sepsis/septicemia/shock, surgical site bleeding, pulmonary embolism, death, mechanical complication with the joint, or joint/wound infection. A complication may result from incomplete treatment or poor care by the hospital team or may reflect poor coordination of care by the hospital team at the time of discharge and afterward. Complication rates can vary for many reasons and may not always indicate a hospital’s level of quality. The data are based on the Medicare fee-for-service population.

Number of Primary and Revision Hip Surgeries

Number of Primary and Revision Knee Surgeries

Hip & Knee Surgery Volume

This measure shows the number of primary and revision hip surgeries performed at this hospital. Hip replacement surgery involves a procedure that replaces the hip joint with a prosthetic implant. Low volume is associated with poor patient outcomes.

This measure shows the number of primary and revision knee surgeries performed at this hospital. Knee replacement surgery involves a procedure that replaces the damaged part of the knee joint with a metal or plastic artificial joint. Low volume is associated with poor patient outcomes.

Free and easy-to-use, CalHospitalCare.org offers unbiased information and ratings on the quality of California hospitals and medical centers, along with tips and checklists about how to choose a health care provider, questions to ask, how to pay for care, and what to do if something goes wrong.

Why be concerned about quality? Even common tasks can go wrong in the hospital. When you pay attention to quality, you can better protect yourself. What is quality? Quality care is not always more expensive care, the newest technology, or many tests and treatments. Quality care is safe, effective, patient centered, timely, efficient, and equitable. How does quality affect you? Hear about four patients’ experiences where better care would have made a difference. Get the quality you deserve. Take steps to make sure you choose the best hospital for you.

When choosing a hospital or medical center, be sure to understand your particular treatment and the roles that hospital staff play in your care; check your insurance coverage and out of pocket costs; and consider the hospital’s location and other features and services.

Sepsis Management

Patient Safety

Complication Prevention

The medical term for this is “postoperative wound dehiscence.” An unplanned reopening of a surgical wound is a complication of surgery. This reopening usually occurs between seven and ten days after surgery and often leads to infection and sometimes even death if left untreated. The causes of wound reopening depend on the type of surgery but include infection of the wound, pressure on the stitches, stitches that are too tight, poor wound closing, and injury to the wound after closure. Signs of potential problems with a wound can include pain, bruising, inflammation, discharge, and breakdown of the skin around the wound area, as well as diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Patients should check their wound site regularly and alert the surgeon or physician if it is not healing. Lower rates suggest better quality of care.

This measure shows the percentage of patients who died after developing a medical complication following inpatient surgery. Some hospitals are better than others at quickly identifying these complications and treating them aggressively. Lower death rates suggest better quality of care.

The medical term for this is “iatrogenic pneumothorax.” The problem occurs when a patient’s lung is accidentally punctured during a required medical procedure (for example, by a needle being used to give the patient medicine). The puncture causes air to leak out of the lung into the body and may lead to lung collapse. Lower rates suggest better quality of care.

Sepsis Infection: This measure shows the percentage of patients who received appropriate care for severe sepsis and septic shock. This sepsis bundle measure examines six different types of care for patients with sepsis. A hospital must complete all six to be counted as delivering appropriate care to patients.

Free and easy-to-use, CalHospitalCare.org offers unbiased information and ratings on the quality of California hospitals and medical centers, along with tips and checklists about how to choose a health care provider, questions to ask, how to pay for care, and what to do if something goes wrong.

Why be concerned about quality? Even common tasks can go wrong in the hospital. When you pay attention to quality, you can better protect yourself. What is quality? Quality care is not always more expensive care, the newest technology, or many tests and treatments. Quality care is safe, effective, patient centered, timely, efficient, and equitable. How does quality affect you? Hear about four patients’ experiences where better care would have made a difference. Get the quality you deserve. Take steps to make sure you choose the best hospital for you.

When choosing a hospital or medical center, be sure to understand your particular treatment and the roles that hospital staff play in your care; check your insurance coverage and out of pocket costs; and consider the hospital’s location and other features and services.

Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections in ICUs and Select Wards

Infections Related to Catheters and Tubes

CLABSI and CAUTI are infections associated with hospital procedures that involve insertion of catheters and tubes during the patient’s hospital stay. The calculation of these measures adjusts for differences in the characteristics of hospitals and patients using a standardized infection ratio (SIR). The SIR is a summary measure that takes into account differences in the types of patients a hospital treats. For CLABSI and CAUTI, risk adjustment considers the following: type of hospital, whether the hospital is affiliated with a medical school, facility bed size, and the type of location within the hospital. A SIR is provided for CLABSI and CAUTI in ICUs and select wards.

C.diff lab identified events (intestinal infections)

Surgical Site Infections - Cardiovascular & Thoracic

Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) occur after surgery in the part of the body where the surgery took place. Some are superficial infections, while others are more serious and can involve muscle and other tissues under the skin, organs, or the space around organs, which often result in longer hospital stays or readmissions later. Surgical site infections may be prevented with proper preparation of the skin and administration of an antibiotic just prior to surgery. SSIs are shown in six categories: Cardiovascular & Thoracic, Gastrointestinal, Orthopedic, OB/GYN, Gallbladder/Liver Related, and Organ Transplant.

This measure shows the percentage of patients who were identified with C.diff – lab identified.

Small Bowel

Surgical Site Infections - Gastrointestinal

Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) occur after surgery in the part of the body where the surgery took place. Some are superficial infections, while others are more serious and can involve muscle and other tissues under the skin, organs, or the space around organs, which often result in longer hospital stays or readmissions later. Surgical site infections may be prevented with proper preparation of the skin and administration of an antibiotic just prior to surgery. SSIs are shown in six categories: Cardiovascular & Thoracic, Gastrointestinal, Orthopedic, OB/GYN, Gallbladder/Liver Related, and Organ Transplant.

Spinal Refusion

Surgical Site Infections - Orthopedic

Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) occur after surgery in the part of the body where the surgery took place. Some are superficial infections, while others are more serious and can involve muscle and other tissues under the skin, organs, or the space around organs, which often result in longer hospital stays or readmissions later. Surgical site infections may be prevented with proper preparation of the skin and administration of an antibiotic just prior to surgery. SSIs are shown in six categories: Cardiovascular & Thoracic, Gastrointestinal, Orthopedic, OB/GYN, Gallbladder/Liver Related, and Organ Transplant.

Cesarean Section

Abdominal Hysterectomy

Surgical Site Infections - OB/GYN

Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) occur after surgery in the part of the body where the surgery took place. Some are superficial infections, while others are more serious and can involve muscle and other tissues under the skin, organs, or the space around organs, which often result in longer hospital stays or readmissions later. Surgical site infections may be prevented with proper preparation of the skin and administration of an antibiotic just prior to surgery. SSIs are shown in six categories: Cardiovascular & Thoracic, Gastrointestinal, Orthopedic, OB/GYN, Gallbladder/Liver Related, and Organ Transplant.

Surgical Site Infections - Gallbladder/Liver Related

Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) occur after surgery in the part of the body where the surgery took place. Some are superficial infections, while others are more serious and can involve muscle and other tissues under the skin, organs, or the space around organs, which often result in longer hospital stays or readmissions later. Surgical site infections may be prevented with proper preparation of the skin and administration of an antibiotic just prior to surgery. SSIs are shown in six categories: Cardiovascular & Thoracic, Gastrointestinal, Orthopedic, OB/GYN, Gallbladder/Liver Related, and Organ Transplant.

Liver Transplant

Surgical Site Infections - Organ Transplant

Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) occur after surgery in the part of the body where the surgery took place. Some are superficial infections, while others are more serious and can involve muscle and other tissues under the skin, organs, or the space around organs, which often result in longer hospital stays or readmissions later. Surgical site infections may be prevented with proper preparation of the skin and administration of an antibiotic just prior to surgery. SSIs are shown in six categories: Cardiovascular & Thoracic, Gastrointestinal, Orthopedic, OB/GYN, Gallbladder/Liver Related, and Organ Transplant.

Free and easy-to-use, CalHospitalCare.org offers unbiased information and ratings on the quality of California hospitals and medical centers, along with tips and checklists about how to choose a health care provider, questions to ask, how to pay for care, and what to do if something goes wrong.

Why be concerned about quality? Even common tasks can go wrong in the hospital. When you pay attention to quality, you can better protect yourself. What is quality? Quality care is not always more expensive care, the newest technology, or many tests and treatments. Quality care is safe, effective, patient centered, timely, efficient, and equitable. How does quality affect you? Hear about four patients’ experiences where better care would have made a difference. Get the quality you deserve. Take steps to make sure you choose the best hospital for you.

When choosing a hospital or medical center, be sure to understand your particular treatment and the roles that hospital staff play in your care; check your insurance coverage and out of pocket costs; and consider the hospital’s location and other features and services.

Pancreatic Cancer

Prostate Cancer

Rectal Cancer

Stomach Cancer

Cancer Surgery - Number of Cases

Research shows that for many types of cancer, patients who have surgery at hospitals that perform a low number of surgeries (sometimes called “surgery volume”) are less likely to survive the surgery and more likely to suffer complications. While surgery is not always the best treatment for cancer, once you decide with your doctor that surgery is a good option, you can use the surgery numbers here to choose a hospital. You should also consider other quality or safety information on this website, such as hospital rates for: deaths; complications; infection prevention; readmissions; and patient experience/satisfaction.

To choose the best hospital for you, consider travelling farther to a hospital that has performed a significant number of surgeries and so has more experience.

These data show the number of surgeries performed by a hospital for 11 types of cancer during the year indicated. The “State Range” shows the number of surgeries performed across all California hospitals that did at least one surgery — that is, from the fewest surgeries (the number is “1” in all cases) to the most surgeries for that type of cancer.

Researchers do not know the minimum number of procedures a hospital should perform to maximize patient survival and minimize complications. What we do know is that hospitals performing a low number of surgeries may not be maintaining the skills necessary to achieve the best outcomes for their patients.

Some possible reasons for why a higher number of surgeries results in fewer deaths and complications: Hospitals that handle more surgeries have surgeons and staff who are practicing their skills more often, as well as more experience that supports standardized care procedures, communication, and other aspects of teamwork.

Additionally, high surgery numbers for individual surgeons also has been linked to better patient outcomes. Patients should consider asking how many of these procedures the surgeon has performed, both in total and recently.

Notes: Studies show a statistically significant difference in deaths following surgeries for breast cancer and for prostate cancer between high-volume and low-volume hospitals. However, the overall occurrence of deaths following breast and prostate cancer surgery is very low. In the case of liver cancer, research shows a link between surgery volume and patient deaths, but there is no research to date that links surgery volume and complications.

Free and easy-to-use, CalHospitalCare.org offers unbiased information and ratings on the quality of California hospitals and medical centers, along with tips and checklists about how to choose a health care provider, questions to ask, how to pay for care, and what to do if something goes wrong.

Why be concerned about quality? Even common tasks can go wrong in the hospital. When you pay attention to quality, you can better protect yourself. What is quality? Quality care is not always more expensive care, the newest technology, or many tests and treatments. Quality care is safe, effective, patient centered, timely, efficient, and equitable. How does quality affect you? Hear about four patients’ experiences where better care would have made a difference. Get the quality you deserve. Take steps to make sure you choose the best hospital for you.

When choosing a hospital or medical center, be sure to understand your particular treatment and the roles that hospital staff play in your care; check your insurance coverage and out of pocket costs; and consider the hospital’s location and other features and services.

Free and easy-to-use, CalHospitalCare.org offers unbiased information and ratings on the quality of California hospitals and medical centers, along with tips and checklists about how to choose a health care provider, questions to ask, how to pay for care, and what to do if something goes wrong.

Why be concerned about quality? Even common tasks can go wrong in the hospital. When you pay attention to quality, you can better protect yourself. What is quality? Quality care is not always more expensive care, the newest technology, or many tests and treatments. Quality care is safe, effective, patient centered, timely, efficient, and equitable. How does quality affect you? Hear about four patients’ experiences where better care would have made a difference. Get the quality you deserve. Take steps to make sure you choose the best hospital for you.

When choosing a hospital or medical center, be sure to understand your particular treatment and the roles that hospital staff play in your care; check your insurance coverage and out of pocket costs; and consider the hospital’s location and other features and services.

Readmission Rate

Heart Attack

This measure estimates the patients who died from any cause within 30 days of being hospitalized for heart attack, regardless of whether the death was in the hospital or after discharge. Note that this death rate is based on data reported by CMS/Medicare and, while measured the same way for all hospitals, may be measured differently than death rates for other conditions. Importantly, the data are based on the Medicare fee-for-service population, which has higher death rates than the general population.

This readmission rate is the percentage of patients who returned to the hospital within 30 days for any reason. Lower rates suggest better quality of care. A readmission may result from incomplete treatment or poor care by the hospital team of the underlying problem, or may reflect poor coordination of care by the hospital team at the time of discharge and afterward. Readmission rates can vary for many reasons and may not always indicate a hospital’s level of quality. Note that this readmission rate is based on data reported by CMS Hospital Compare and, while measured the same way for all hospitals, may be measured differently than readmission rates for other conditions. Importantly, the data are based on the Medicare fee-for-service population, which has higher readmission rates than the general population.

Angioplasty (PTCA) - Number of Cases

Angioplasty (PTCA) - Death Rate

Angioplasty

The page shows the number of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasties (PTCA or “angioplasty”) performed at this hospital. Angioplasty is a minimally invasive procedure to open up blocked coronary arteries, allowing blood to circulate unobstructed to the heart muscle.

The rate of patients who die after having percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasties (PTCA or “angioplasty”), which is a non-surgical procedure used to treat the narrowed coronary arteries of the heart found in heart disease from the buildup of the cholesterol-laden plaques.

CABG Death Rate - With Valve

Postoperative Stroke

Heart Bypass Surgery

This measure shows the percentage of patients who died within 30 days of discharge after heart bypass surgery performed without other major procedures, such as valve repair or carotid endarterectomy, during the same surgery. The rate is adjusted because patients have different chances of dying due to individual risk factors. Lower rates suggest better quality of care. Note that this death rate is based on data reported by California CABG Outcomes Reporting Program (CCORP) / California OSHPD and, while measured the same way for all hospitals, may be measured differently than death rates for other conditions.

This measure shows the percentage of patients who died within 30 days of discharge after heart bypass surgery that includes aortic valve replacement, mitral valve replacement or repair, or a combination thereof. The rate is adjusted because patients have different chances of dying due to individual risk factors. Lower rates suggest better quality of care. Note that this death rate is based on data reported by California CABG Outcomes Reporting Program (CCORP) / California OSHPD and, while measured the same way for all hospitals, may be measured differently than death rates for other conditions.

Postoperative Stroke (Data Source: OSHPD 01/01/2015 -- 12/31/2015)

This measure shows the percentage of patients who suffered a stroke after they had heart bypass surgery.

Readmission Rate

Heart Failure

This measure estimates the patients who died from any cause within 30 days of being hospitalized for heart failure, regardless of whether the death was in the hospital or after discharge. Note that this death rate is based on data reported by CMS/Medicare and, while measured the same way for all hospitals, may be measured differently than death rates for other conditions. Importantly, the data are based on the Medicare fee-for-service population, which has higher death rates than the general population.

This readmission rate is the percentage of patients who returned to the hospital within 30 days for any reason. Lower rates suggest better quality of care. A readmission may result from incomplete treatment or poor care by the hospital team of the underlying problem, or may reflect poor coordination of care by the hospital team at the time of discharge and afterward. Readmission rates can vary for many reasons and may not always indicate a hospital’s level of quality. Note that this readmission rate is based on data reported by CMS Hospital Compare and, while measured the same way for all hospitals, may be measured differently than readmission rates for other conditions. Importantly, the data are based on the Medicare fee-for-service population, which has higher readmission rates than the general population.

Readmission Rate

Pneumonia

This measure estimates the patients who died from any cause within 30 days of being hospitalized for pneumonia, regardless of whether the death was in the hospital or after discharge. Note that this death rate is based on data reported by CMS/Medicare and, while measured the same way for all hospitals, may be measured differently than death rates for other conditions. Importantly, the data are based on the Medicare fee-for-service population, which has higher death rates than the general population.

This readmission rate is the percentage of patients who returned to the hospital within 30 days for any reason. Lower rates suggest better quality of care. A readmission may result from incomplete treatment or poor care by the hospital team of the underlying problem, or may reflect poor coordination of care by the hospital team at the time of discharge and afterward. Readmission rates can vary for many reasons and may not always indicate a hospital’s level of quality. Note that this readmission rate is based on data reported by CMS Hospital Compare and, while measured the same way for all hospitals, may be measured differently than readmission rates for other conditions. Importantly, the data are based on the Medicare fee-for-service population, which has higher readmission rates than the general population.

Readmission Rate

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

This measure estimates the patients who died from any cause within 30 days of being hospitalized for COPD, regardless of whether the death was in the hospital or after discharge. Note that this death rate is based on data reported by CMS/Medicare and, while measured the same way for all hospitals, may be measured differently than death rates for other conditions. Importantly, the data are based on the Medicare fee-for-service population, which has higher death rates than the general population.

This readmission rate is the percentage of patients who returned to the hospital within 30 days for any reason. Lower rates suggest better quality of care. A readmission may result from incomplete treatment or poor care by the hospital team of the underlying problem, or may reflect poor coordination of care by the hospital team at the time of discharge and afterward. Readmission rates can vary for many reasons and may not always indicate a hospital’s level of quality. Note that this readmission rate is based on data reported by CMS Hospital Compare and, while measured the same way for all hospitals, may be measured differently than readmission rates for other conditions. Importantly, the data are based on the Medicare fee-for-service population, which has higher readmission rates than the general population.

Free and easy-to-use, CalHospitalCare.org offers unbiased information and ratings on the quality of California hospitals and medical centers, along with tips and checklists about how to choose a health care provider, questions to ask, how to pay for care, and what to do if something goes wrong.

Why be concerned about quality? Even common tasks can go wrong in the hospital. When you pay attention to quality, you can better protect yourself. What is quality? Quality care is not always more expensive care, the newest technology, or many tests and treatments. Quality care is safe, effective, patient centered, timely, efficient, and equitable. How does quality affect you? Hear about four patients’ experiences where better care would have made a difference. Get the quality you deserve. Take steps to make sure you choose the best hospital for you.

When choosing a hospital or medical center, be sure to understand your particular treatment and the roles that hospital staff play in your care; check your insurance coverage and out of pocket costs; and consider the hospital’s location and other features and services.

Stroke Potentially Preventable Readmission Rate

Stroke

This measure estimates the patients who died from any cause within 30 days of being hospitalized for a stroke, regardless of whether the death was in the hospital or after discharge. Note that this death rate is based on data reported by CMS/Medicare and, while measured the same way for all hospitals, may be measured differently than death rates for other conditions. Importantly, the data are based on the Medicare fee-for-service population, which has higher death rates than the general population.

Free and easy-to-use, CalHospitalCare.org offers unbiased information and ratings on the quality of California hospitals and medical centers, along with tips and checklists about how to choose a health care provider, questions to ask, how to pay for care, and what to do if something goes wrong.

Why be concerned about quality? Even common tasks can go wrong in the hospital. When you pay attention to quality, you can better protect yourself. What is quality? Quality care is not always more expensive care, the newest technology, or many tests and treatments. Quality care is safe, effective, patient centered, timely, efficient, and equitable. How does quality affect you? Hear about four patients’ experiences where better care would have made a difference. Get the quality you deserve. Take steps to make sure you choose the best hospital for you.

When choosing a hospital or medical center, be sure to understand your particular treatment and the roles that hospital staff play in your care; check your insurance coverage and out of pocket costs; and consider the hospital’s location and other features and services.

Craniotomy Death Rate

Surgeries / Other Conditions

The abdominal aorta is the main blood vessel that supplies blood to the abdomen, pelvis, and legs. If the blood vessel enlarges abnormally, surgery is usually performed to prevent a rupture of the ballooning vessel (“aneurysm”). More cases means the surgical team has more practice, which may lead to better results for the patient. A hospital must perform ten or more abdominal aortic aneurysm repairs per year to be rated as having “enough cases.” This may indicate that this hospital has a basic level of proficiency. If the “service was not provided,” then no cases were attempted and the hospital is not rated for this procedure.

If a hospital meets the criteria for “enough cases” (ten or more abdominal aortic aneurysm repairs per year), then the page displays the death rate for this procedure at this hospital. Patients requiring this procedure usually have disease of other major vessels as well, which make them a high risk for stroke, heart attack, or other complications during or after surgery. The type of aneurysm and other patient-related factors greatly affect the death rate for this procedure.